146 GLANDERS AND FARCY. 



from the character of the morbid changes proceeding in con- 

 nection with the connective-tissue of the limb, there exists a 

 disposition to a steadily progressive increase in its bulk, 

 there seems less danger of placing the animal in the 

 dangerous position of being considered affected with farcy. 

 Although there is here much swelling, it is not of the character 

 of that associated with farcy ; tlie infiltration has here gradually, 

 and in stages, become indurated ; there is, however, no active 

 hypen\3mia, little pain, and no glandular induration, with the 

 absence of corded lymphatics, nodules, or ulcers. 



With equine variola, a comparatively rare disease in Great 

 Britain, farcy may possibly be confounded, and particularly so 

 if local oedema, or partial organization of previous inflammatory 

 products, be existing at the time of the eruptive fever. With 

 a moderate amount of care, however, there ought to be little 

 difficulty in diagnosticating the two diseases. In variolous 

 fever the course is rapid and determinate, having a tendency, 

 after passing through its regular stages, to terminate in 

 restored healthy functional activity ; while the local lesions, 

 when fully developed, do not result in chancre-like sores, but 

 possess a natural tendency to heal by healthy cicatrization. 

 With farcy its course is prolonged and irregular ; the nodules, 

 when ripe, result in unhealthy sores, which have no tendency 

 to healthy reparative action, but are disposed to pass on 

 to progressively destructive changes, and ultimately to destroy 

 life. 



No doubt many of those affections which have been regarded 

 as simulating farcy, and likely to be confounded with it, are 

 much more annoying when occurring in animals where, from 

 age, previous debility, and other vicious and dejiressing 

 influences, the probabilities of suspicious symptoms, culminat- 

 ing in what is regarded as confirmed farcy, are consider- 

 able. We must not, however, in our desire to arrive at a 

 decisive opinion, rest satisfied, when giving that opinion in 

 the affirmative as to the existence of farcy, with evidence 

 less satisfactory, or less strong, than that which rests on the 

 presence of the specific groAvths or buds, the true ulcerous 

 character of the sores, the nature of the discharge from these, 

 and the condition of the lymphatic vessels and glands. In 

 addition to an available knowledge of those diseased conditions, 



